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Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) Weekly Election Coverage Newsletter, July 30-Aug 5

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Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) Weekly Election Coverage Newsletter, July 30-Aug 5 Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) Weekly Election Coverage Newsletter, July 30-Aug 5 “I've worked closely with him, and I know that one of his lasting legacies will be how Afghanistan makes its first democratic, peaceful transfer of power.” Kerry wrote Afghans took an enormous step on the road toward a stronger democracy in April and June when millions of people went to the polls to choose the country’s next president. “Every vote was a courageous endorsement of democracy, and an expression of hope for the future.” Kerry rules out parliamentary system in Afghanistan The United States, the United Nations and the international By Javed Hamim Kakar Jul 30, 2014 - 22:26 community were engaged in the post-election process solely to help the Afghan election institutions restore KABUL (Pajhwok): US Secretary of State John Kerry has credibility to the voting, he said. said it was not for outsiders to describe the contents of the “Experts tell me that the audit under way in Kabul is the political framework both Afghan presidential candidates largest and most complicated election audit ever accepted a few days ago. undertaken anywhere. Few countries could meet this “It does not violate the Afghan constitution – it respects challenge alone.” Afghan institutions. It does not establish a parliamentary He continued specialists from the UN were working side system – it creates a new position of chief executive who by side with their Afghan colleagues to ensure that the will report to the president until the president convenes a audit met the laws of Afghanistan, the highest international Loya Jirga to determine whether a permanent change is in standards and, most importantly, the expectations of the best interests of the country,” Kerry wrote in his latest Afghans. op-ed, a copy of which is sent to Pajhwok Afghan News “The process, which has been painstaking and slow, will by the US Embassy in Kabul. accelerate with the end of Eid al-Fitr. But democracy can’t Kerry, who landed in New Delhi on Wednesday for talks be rushed and every legitimate vote deserves to be counted with Indian officials on strategic relations, wrote: “What and respected.” the agreement does provide is a critical opportunity for He said the Afghan Independent Election Commission, the both candidates to move beyond political competition to UN and dozens of international observers were working real statesmanship. It is a chance for them to work together night and day to conclude the audit. to build an inclusive government that represents all sectors of Afghan society – Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras, “The audit is only one part of the challenge confronting men and women.” democracy in Afghanistan today. Equally important are He said democracy was an evolutionary process and every the actions of the two candidates, Dr. Ashraf Ghani and democracy reached a decisive moment where the interests Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, and their political teams.” of the country outweighed the interests of politicians. “Afghanistan is at that critical point today. Its leaders On July 12, he recalled, the two candidates shook hands cannot afford to miss the chance to help bring their people and agreed to respect the results of the audit. They also the better lives they deserve and demand. And that is a agreed to build a unity government that will lead A challenge for two statesmen who both love Afghanistan.” fghanistan to a better future. “Again and again, through all my visits to your country, I've been struck by one profound fact: Afghans want and He said the political agreement responded to a challenging deserve a better future. You want to live without fear, to situation that required cooperation between the two leaders have the best possible education for your children, health and their broad range of supporters. care systems that provide dignity and the jobs and other opportunities that come with a stable economy.” http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2014/07/30/kerry-rules-out- He praised President Hamid Karzai for leading Afghani- parliamentary-system-afghanistan stan for more than a decade through triumph and tragedy. http://www.pajhwok.com Page 1 http://www.elections.pajhwok.com/www.vote.af Pajhwok Afghan News Election Coverage Newsletter He said the two sides had clearly agreed that the losing candidate would be given the position of chief executive. He said they were trying to make public and release to the media the text of the agreement. Rahimi said US president Barack Obama had twice phoned both the candidates, urging them to sign the agreement as soon as possible. He said the real and basic aim of Kerry’s column was to assuage people’s concerns about a parliamentary system. “In his article, Kerry has actually explained about the parliamentary system and has no details about the chief executive slot.” Meanwhile, a member of Ghani’s Change and Continuity team, Tahir Zaheer, said both the sides had agreed that the 'No deal struck on parliamentary system' losing candidate would be given the chief executive By Sangar yar Jul 31, 2014 - 14:54 position after the end of the vote audit process. KABUL (Pajhwok): Campaign teams of both the He said the president-elect would have the authority to presidential candidates on Thursday confirmed US remove the chief executive and introduce his replacement to secretary of state John Kerry’s remarks that no deal on the parliament. switching to a parliamentary system had been reached. He said both the candidates had agreed that they would In his latest op-ed, Kerry wrote the political framework accept the outcome of the ongoing audit of all votes and the both Afghan presidential candidates accepted a few days final results and that the winner would pave the ground for ago “does not violate the Afghan constitution – it respects the formation of a national unity government and the Afghan institutions.” creation of the chief executive post. “It does not establish a parliamentary system – it creates a He told Pajhwok Afghan News the standard in the unity new position of chief executive who will report to the government would be only potential and ability. He said president until the president convenes a Loya Jirga to though the Change and Continuity team had verbally determine whether a permanent change is in the best endorsed the agreement with the Reform and Unanimity interests of the country,” Kerry said. team but was committed to it. The campaign teams of both the presidential hopefuls said IEC to restart auditing votes on Saturday the two sides had agreed that the winner would offer the By Navid Ahmad Jul 31, 2014 - 15:37 loser the position of chief executive. Presidential runners Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Election Commission Ahmadzai had agreed to form a unity government after on Thursday said it was resuming the vote audit process on Kerry mediated between them following Abdullah’s Saturday and would not unnecessarily halt it this time boycott of the electoral process on account of widespread around. fraud allegations in the June 14 runoff race. The vote audit process was suspended for Eid holidays. IEC The deal on a unity government was reached about 18 chief Ahmad Yousaf Nuristan had earlier said that they days ago but neither side has so far revealed the contents would restart auditing votes only when the two presidential of the political framework to the masses. candidates arrived at an agreement on a 16-point checklist Abdullah’s camp said under the agreement, the chief regarding rejection or approval of votes. executive post would be given to the losing candidate or IEC Deputy Chief Abdul Rehman Hotaki told Pajhwok his nominee and the position will be changed into a prime Afghan News on Thursday that they had approved a ministerial slot through amendment in the Constitution proposal from the United Nations Assistance Mission in within two years. Afghanistan containing views of both the candidates. But Ahmadzai’s team had denied such a deal, saying they The audit process had to be stopped and resumed several had promised giving the chief executive position to times owning to differences between representatives of the Ahmad Shah Massoud when he joined Ahmadzai presidential candidates and the absence of observers. Hotaki campaign during the electioneering. said the IEC would not let the process to be hindered again A spokesman for Abdullah, Mujib Rahimi, said Kerry was this time. Tahir Zaheer, a spokesman for Ashraf Ghani, told right no deal on a parliamentary system had been reached Pajhwok Afghan News they had no problem with the UNA- between the two sides. MA proposal. http://www.pajhwok.com Page 2 http://www.elections.pajhwok.com Pajhwok Afghan News Election Coverage Newsletter Mujib Rahimi, a spokesman for trailing candidate The IEC chief said 100 auditors would work for eight hours Abdullah Abdullah, however, said they would press for in the morning and another 100 in the second shift to some of their demands to be incorporated into the audit speed-up the process. He said, if needed, the number of criteria. auditing teams could be increased to 120 a shift. Rahimi stressed transparency and the inclusion of their Speaking on the occasion, UNAMA chief Jan Kubis demands in the UNAMA proposal as crucial. stressed any further delay in concluding the election While Zaheer alleged Abdullah’s supporters were looking process could damage the political and economical for excuses to escape from the audit process. environment. The audit of all votes cast in the June 14 runoff election He said the UN and international observers would work in began 15 days ago but so far only about 1500 ballot boxes close cooperation with the IEC, the candidates and the out of more than 20, 000 could be assessed.
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